Korean supporting actor Song Young-kyu, well-known to audiences for his roles in dramas such as "VOICE," "Stove League" as the baseball team president, "Penthouse 3," "Narco-Saints," "My Perfect Assistant," and the film "Extreme Job," was reported on July 25 to have been sent to the prosecutor for investigation due to drunk driving. Three new projects he was involved in urgently cut ties with him, placing his career in crisis. On the 4th, he was shockingly found dead in a car at the age of 55.
According to Korean media outlet MBN, around 8 a.m. on the 4th, Song Young-kyu was found dead in a car in Cheoin District, Yongin City, Gyeonggi Province. It is reported that a woman reported it to the police, who have since launched an investigation.
On July 25, Song Young-kyu's drunk driving incident came to light. On June 19, after drinking with friends, he drove himself home, traveling 5 kilometers from Giheung District to Cheoin District, Yongin City, Gyeonggi Province. Witnesses reported "suspected drunk driving" to the police, who quickly tracked down the vehicle and arrested Song Young-kyu. His blood alcohol level was found to exceed 0.08%, meeting the threshold for license revocation and violating the Road Traffic Act. He was sent to the Suwon District Prosecutors' Office for investigation. Afterwards, he apologized in an interview, saying, "I'm really very sorry. I must have been crazy at the time. I ruined everything because of one mistake. No matter what, it was all my fault, truly sorry." He further explained, "At first I did hire a substitute driver, but then a newly acquainted friend arrived. While we were chatting in a convenience store, the substitute driver left. Since my home was less than five minutes away, I made the wrong decision to use cruise control to drive myself—and this is what happened," once again apologizing, "I feel very sorry for everyone who has always believed in me."
Song Young-kyu played a pastor in ENA’s new drama "The Refund Children." When his drunk driving scandal broke out, only two episodes had aired. The production team said the entire series has finished filming, and they will delete his scenes as much as possible without affecting the storyline and viewer understanding. Additionally, SBS’s new drama "TRY: Miracles We Made," which had already finished filming, also announced it would minimize his screen time. He was also originally scheduled to perform in the musical "Shakespeare in Love" starting July 27, but the production has since replaced him.
News Source: Apple Online News